


Don't sleep in the subway darling

by theaa



Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: F/M, Prompt Fill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-15
Updated: 2015-05-15
Packaged: 2018-03-30 16:17:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3943333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theaa/pseuds/theaa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>His suit jacket is thrown over the back of his chair, forgotten in his rush to get home. She reaches up to touch the hanging sleeve, slipping her fingers underneath the hem to stroke the silk lining. [Matt notices Karen sleeping at the office]</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't sleep in the subway darling

Don't sleep in the subway, darlin'.  
The night is long.  
Forget your foolish pride.  
Nothing's wrong,  
now you're beside me again.

\- Petula Clarke

* * *

 

The lights overhead continue to buzz for half an hour after you turn them off, she learns. The refrigerator in the tiny kitchen hums loudly enough that Karen can hear that, too, curled up under Matt's desk. The orange streetlight outside lights the space artificially, so there's a radioactive glow to the white paint on the walls. Karen tucks the blanket around herself again and sighs. She's furtherest away from the door in Matt's office. His coffee cup sits just above her head - his suit jacket is thrown over the back of his chair, forgotten in his rush to get home. She reaches up to touch the hanging sleeve, slipping her fingers underneath the hem to stroke the silk lining. She gives it a tug and gathers the soft material to herself, spreading it over her shoulders where the blanket is covering. The jacket smells of his cologne, strong and musky, and it brings her comfort; the ability to let her eyes flutter closed, almost as if he were in the room watching over her.

 

 

The tiny bathroom doesn't have a mirror so she forgoes everything except some moisturiser and a lick of mascara. Karen is sure the bags underneath her eyes are a worrying shade of purple, but Foggy will be the only one able to see them and she bets he'll be too polite to comment. If she smiles, everything will be fine.

When it hits 9am and Foggy and Matt step through the door, Karen is sat at her desk. Foggy gets distracted by the box of pastries she ran out for, eagerly reserving his favourite flavours. Matt hovers by the door a second longer, his face turned towards her. A slight frown slips over his face. Karen can't read his eyes behind his glasses, but she dips her head anyway - it's like he knows, already. She doesn't understand how, but the way he's looking at her, the corners of his mouth soft but down turned makes her self-conscious.

 

 

By 9pm and with much persuading Foggy has headed home. Matt, however, still sits at his desk, his fingers trailing over the braille reader, working on his latest case. Karen sets a cup of coffee in front of him, milky, no sugar, the way he likes it. His fingers pause and he looks up, flashing her a small smile.

"Aren't you going home, Karen?"

Her eyes flick towards to the cupboards just behind him where her blankets and toiletries are stashed. 'Uhmm, later. I still have stuff to do."

Matt takes off his glasses and runs a hand over his eyes, looks up at her again. HIs eyes look hazel in the late night light, not the deep brown of the daytime. They focus on her face, except not really, but it feels like it. It feels like he's staring at her, trying to catch her out in her lie.

She backs away from the desk instead.

'Karen?"

Her hand freezes on the door handle, convinced he's figured her out. "Hmm?"

"Thanks for the coffee."

Her breath comes out in a whoosh. "No problem."

 

 

She's reorganised her filing system nearing three times by the time Matt shuffles out his office, closing the door softly behind him. His glasses are still off, and he's shirked his suit jacket again, his white shirt undone a few buttons, sleeves pushed up. It's a state of dishevelment that Karen finds deeply attractive. She bites on her lip, fighting it down.

"I'm all finished up."

"Oh. Great."

Matt fishes his set of keys out of his trouser pockets and crooks his head towards the door. "Time to head home."

Karen immediately pulls out another file, one she's re-read about ten times already that night. "Oh no, I've just got to finish this up and-"

"Karen."

"- what?"

"You need to sleep. Properly."

"I will! I just-"

Matt moves to stand opposite her, and his face is creased with concern.

"Look, I get not wanting to go back to your apartment, I do. But sometimes being alone can be a little overwhelming and I don't want you to feel like that either."

Karen blinks at him. He knows then. How he managed it, she hasn't a clue - she cleaned up so carefully, even draped his jacket back over the back of his chair, exactly the way he left it. But it's Matt, and he seems to know everything.

"I - it just - it doesn't feel like home. Nowhere feels like home. I don't - I don't feel safe," she admits, her voice small. But Matt is looking at her with such understanding, not sympathy, that she doesn't mind. She doesn't want to be pitied, just understood.

Why was she ever afraid Matt would't understand?

He jangles the keys in his hands again. "It's okay. Come on. I know a great hotel in the area. I hear the rate is pretty low too."

He smiles at her, offering out his hand. She takes it shakily and he pulls her to her feet and she laughs. "Oh yeah?"

"Hmm," he agrees. "Even better for second time visitors."

She giggles again and lets Matt lead her from the office. They flick the lights off and Karen hears the buzzing as she and Matt walk away from the door, her arm looped through his. Coffee, musk and security.

**Author's Note:**

> Howdy, hope you enjoyed. Reviews are love!


End file.
